Aforetimes
by KawaiiRii
Summary: Everyone knows the story of the Avatar his destiny to master all elements while saving the world from the Fire Nation. But what about the story of Princess Azula? See what happens before the invasion of Ba Sing Se as this story of Azula's journey unfolds.
1. Chapter 1

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Prologue

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

An earsplitting high-pitched scream could be heard from at least 10 miles away from the Fire Nation Academy for Girls. At the very point of the scream you can see 3 girls: One with heavy red lipstick, and a somewhat evil glint in her eyes, looking bored, another with a particularly aloof and monotonous look on her face also, and the last with a perplexed look of horror on her face.

"What…do…. you…. mean…. moving?!"

Ty Lee's words were broken up. Her heart was beating fast and there was cold sweat on her face.

The evil looking one got up. She was pretty…. in an…. evil(?) kind of way. She started walking back towards the school ground from the Shady Tree they were all sitting under.

"Wait Azula!! Come back! Answer my question!!" shouted Ty Lee.

Azula stopped and sighed. She turned back, to only say one word –

"Later."

There was a pause. Then a second earsplitting scream could be heard, much louder than the first. In the distance you can see birds flocking out of nearby trees and a cabbage man fainting.

Chapter 1: Good-byes

"He escaped from the dungeon, using the secret scrolls he found inside stone slab…" said the History sensei.

"…Chung Yu the conqueror then chopped off his brother's head to steal the crown for himself. He was the Fire Nations first –"

"Oh I would TOTALLY know how Chungzy feels!" Ty Lee blurted out as she stood up in the middle of the class. "I mean, he was like stabbed in the BACK by his **BEST FRIEND**." She gave a malicious glance at Azula who was filing her fingernails. Everyone turned to look at Ty Lee.

"Ty Lee," started Sensei Hu. "That's enough, you can sit back –"

"I mean, do you KNOW how much that hurts? To be BEST FRIENDS" – she stands on her table – "…with someone for _**5**_ years just to find that they" – she takes the nearby meter stick – "use you and then they" – she stabs herself with the meter stick as she falls to the ground – "Stab you…. in the…b-b-ba-ack…!! She finished in broken sobs.

Azula looked at her slowly and sadly. Usually she would feel rage (that was her standard feeling besides malice or evil intentions), but maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was wrong to just blow off her friends instead of giving them the whole story— that she wasn't really moving. And truth be told, she was a little upset too. Her dad, the Fire Lord, had thought it would be best for Azula if she'd be pulled out of school to get some hands on experience for practicing her firebending along with leadership and scouting skills by assigning her various scouting missions for a year. She would most probably be next in line for the throne because her idiot brother had outspoken against her dad in an invasion meeting 2 years ago.

Azula had just thought it would be easier to tell her friends that she was moving. Her and Ty Lee and Mai (who had glanced over to see what the fuss was about) had been her best friends since they were 8.

"Ty Lee…" she started.

"Girls, I don't know what this little bow wow of yours is, but save your personal drama for AFTER class." Sensei Hu said angrily.

Azula shot Sensei Hu an enraged frown.

"Umm…I mean…just, please save it for after class Princess."

Azula smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Good News Chapter 2: Good News

Azula got into her ready stance. She readied for an attack. She could see the crevice, _the birth_ of a fireball about to be hurdled at her. With the slightest twitch of an eyebrow, before a first breath can be taken, she flipped backwards, landing in a semi split, countering the fireball. As quick as she made her first move, her foot swung around in C shape, and positioned herself in her first stance, only to jump, kick, and make a far-ranged offence. Her opponent fell. She spun as she landed and then ended her far distance assaults running up close to him and kicked, following by a fire punch.

It was after school, after the _incident, _and she was practicing firebending with Master Piando, the greatest Firebending Master in the nation.

She was interrupted, only to hear someone clapping.

"Very good Azula," said Fire Lord Ozai clapping from the second story balcony.

Azula whirled her head around quickly.

"Father!" She looked up to where he was. She bowed quickly to her Firebending Sensei, who was still trying to get up after she hit him a little bit _too_ hard on his side.

Azula ran inside to the balcony at which her father had been watching. _Up the spiral stairs, through the passage, up again, into the room_…. She paused. This was her mother's maiden room. It had been so long since she was in here after her mom disappeared. There were still relics of her mother's, such as her wedding robe, fan, book….

"Zuko had spent more time in here than she did", she thought. "It was hard for us of them, but I think it hurt Zuko the most." She quickly smirked.

Her parents had the played the favorites game. She was, being naturally talented, smart, and good looking, her father's favorite. Zuko was not the prodigy she lived to be. He was plenty smart, and talented but he was not the _best_ like his sister was. But a mother being a mother, she loved Zuko all the same. More than Azula, it seemed.

Azula wondered why his dad was watching from this particular balcony.

"Father?" she asked as she approached him.

"Azula, we need to talk about something. Come with me to the pagoda," he said, still facing his back to Azula.

They walked out of the castle, up a stone path of the mountain where the castle was located and sat in a pagoda at the top. It took about 10 minutes, but it was the most beautiful view, and the highest looking point in all of the Fire Nation.

"I know we talked about pulling you out of Royal Academy. There are some things I want to talk about. I know it won't be a problem, because you are already top of your class. However, you are one year short of graduating, and there are some fundamental things I want you to learn, especially," he added. "In history."

"So, in your journey, when you stop in nearby towns, you are to go to their school there for the time that you are staying in that town."

"Yes, father," she said sadly at the name of her school. As he kept talking, she felt her mind wandering, as his voice got more and more distant.

"I know you are already packed, but there are still some tools I have to give you for your journey."

"I also think," he said, "To take a small brigade with you would be wise. Perhaps one or two people to back you up. Though you will be leading, it would be good to have support."

Azula's face contorted into an evil smile.

"I know just who to ask."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Invitations Chapter 3: Invitations

Ty Lee looked into the mirror. Usually, the girl who would look back would be a cute and bubbly girl with long brown hair, tied into a braided ponytail. But today, looked back a sad girl, overcome with melancholy.

"Maybe…maybe it wasn't fair of me to blurt that out in the middle of class yesterday. I mean, it's really not Azula's fault that she's moving. Although…." She bit her lip. "I do wish she'd show SOME emotion of leaving us behind. It's like, almost, our friendship doesn't matter to her at all!"

She flopped down onto her pink, frilly, hearts, covered in bows, pink, pink, canopy bed. She hugged a penguin plushie pillow. If Mai had come in here, she would have thrown up...(which she has done before, explaining a little discolored patch on the carpet, the only thing in the room that was not pink. **Ew.**)In one word, the room was…pink. Pink, adorned with a chandelier on the ceiling, and magenta and gold curtains adorned the window. Pink carpet, pink balance beam, pink poodlecat. Pink, pink, pink. The poodlecat meowed. She giggled. Ty Lee picked it up and glanced at a picture of her, Azula, and Mai that they had made together from when they were 7. It was enframed in gold next to her wall mirror.

She glanced at her kitty cat clock, and sighed. It was almost time for school, and she just couldn't **wait** to hear the sneers and smirks as she walked to class.

As Ty Lee stepped out of her house, a fierce red hawk, bearing the Fire Lord's insignia on its chest dived down towards her, landing on her shoulder.

"Hello Jin," she said to the royal family's pet, taking the message from its flask. She stroked its magnificent feathers, as it flew off.

It was a neatly written message from Azula, whom had wrote it the night before saying she needed to talk to her. Ty Lee nervously wondered what it could be about…

When she reached school, she walked to her first class. Outside waiting was Azula and Mai. Ty Lee cast her head down in shame.

"Hey..."

"Did you get my message?" Azula asked.

"I did…and I wanted to apologize for overreacting yesterday. I know it's not your fault that you are moving." Ty Lee said.

"Well that's the thing," Azula said. "I'm not moving."

Ty Lee looked up with a mixture of curiosity and happiness.

"Since I'm most probably going to be the heir to the throne. My father wants me to have scouting experience, so I'm graduating school early…and he said, he thinks that a small brigade would be necessary."

She smiled at her and Mai.

It took a while to click, but then a flood of happiness overcame Ty Lee.

"OH MY GOSH!! This is just so totally wonderful! I mean, wow, I was never really doing that well in school and now I get to leave! And we'll all be together, traveling _the world_! Squeeeeee!! " She then cartwheeled around in a circle, despite the unusual glances she was receiving from classmates walking by.

Azula rolled her eyes, but managed to smile. Even Mai, who was usually the quiet one laughed.

"We're in for a crazy ride", she said.


End file.
